As commisioner Cathy Engelbert spoke, players took the floor wearing shirts that read “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is optimistic that the league and players union will come to a new collective bargaining agreement at some point.

While WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed a number of topics ahead of Saturday night's All-Star Game, the ongoing CBA talks with the players union remained the biggest.

This is exactly what Engelbert seemed to do with Minnesota Lynx players Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman (who are setting the women's basketball world ablaze with their "Studbudz" live stream on Twitch) on Friday night, as was seen dancing with these two players at a bar in downtown Indianapolis.

The league sits at the precipice of a pivotal financial fork in the road in the form of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. The WNBA and its players boast enviable momentum and a great product. They can’t afford to squander those favorable conditions with squabbling and a work stoppage in 2026.

Breanna Stewart and other WNBA players in Indianapolis for All-Star weekend characterized Thursday's meeting with commissioner Cathy Engelbert and ownership representatives as a "wasted opportunity."

WNBA players and league officials met Thursday before the start of All-Star weekend festivities for discussions on a new collective bargaining agreement.